Optimizing last-mile delivery of essential medicines in Nigeria: Insights from Niger State’s health-care supply chain

Abstract

Last-mile delivery of health commodities is a critical component of efficient supply chains, and third-party logistics (3PL) providers are pivotal in ensuring cost-effective and reliable product distribution. This study explores the implementation of last-mile delivery outsourcing by government-operated warehouses and drug management agencies (DMAs). This research focuses on the relationship between 3PL utilization and key performance metrics, such as cost reduction, timely delivery, and end-user satisfaction. This study combines a literature review, surveys, and interviews conducted with employees of the DMAs in Minna, Niger State, to establish significant correlations. The findings show that using 3PLs significantly reduced operational costs, improved the frequency of timely deliveries, and enhanced end-user satisfaction. These findings underscore the need for continued engagement with 3PL providers to optimize supply chain performance and improve service delivery outcomes. Managers are recommended to maintain and expand such collaborations to sustain these benefits.

Keywords

Outsourcing / Last-mile delivery / Essential medicines / Niger State / Drug management agency

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. Casmir Onukogu, whose valuable input enabled the completion of this project. Throughout the process, his advice and recommendations were invaluable.

Funding

None.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare they have no competing interests.

Author contributions

Conceptualization: Ogwuche Kennedy Odo

Investigation: Ogwuche Kennedy Odo, Mohammad Audi

Methodology: Ogwuche Kennedy Odo

Writing-original draft: Ogwuche Kennedy Odo, Kabiru Abubakar Gulma

Writing-review & editing: Kabiru Abubakar Gulma

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Malaysia University of Science and Technology approved the study. In addition, written consent was obtained from all those who had accepted to be interviewed.

Consent for publication

The participants in the study were verbally informed that their responses would be published in a journal, and a “no objection” to that is required before proceeding.

Availability of data

The data used in this study were provided by the staff at the Drugs and Hospital Consumables Management Agency, Minna, Niger State.

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